


Muse

by attackonheichou



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternative Universe- Mermaids, Angst, Drawing, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Painting, Sexual Tension, Yusuke is dramatic, he needs help as always, hes so Pretty, i just wanted to write ren as a mermaid forgive me, its mostly fluffy, phantom thieves are gay, ren amamiya is a mermaid, we all knew that but anyways, yusuke is in a slump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-28 20:08:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15714210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attackonheichou/pseuds/attackonheichou
Summary: "My, my, humans do like to stare don't they?" The merman's tone was playful, his lips curved into a small smile as he watches the human blush.Yusuke clears his throat, his mouth suddenly very dry, "Ahem, forgive me, I just...have never seen something so beautiful and I was trying to figure out if you were real or not."  Yusuke notices the slight change in the merman's features as he blushes, becoming increasingly embarrassed as Yusuke's words hung in the air. Yusuke didn't think that he said anything out of the ordinary, he was just telling the truth.





	Muse

**Author's Note:**

> here i am with an unoriginal mermaid AU, forgive me. 
> 
> its fluffy, all fluffy and cute because these two deserve the world in my eyes. I hope you enjoy~

"I cannot do this anymore!" Yusuke yelled at the endless abyss of water, to which it only responded with waves crashing into the sand then retreating once again. It was a beautiful view for a rather ugly moment. Yusuke's bottom lip trembles as the overbearing pressure of creating a masterpiece for his Teacher takes over his entire being. His knees buckle, making him drop onto the sandy beach. His hands release the writing utensils and notebook that he was gripping for dear life. He doesn't care that the tide could carry it away at any moment or that there is a bunch of sand creeping into the crevices. 

His eyes meet the horizon as the sea and the sun are about to kiss creating a rather extraordinary view, but the blue-haired artist cannot appreciate the moment as his mind whirls with the expectations, the deadlines, and the look of disappointment as his Teacher discovers that he has failed at creating something worthy. The last thought makes his breath hitch and the tears start to form at the corners of his eyes. 

_Is this where it ends for me?_  
_Have I truly failed as an artist?_

The thoughts keep whirling and Yusuke can't seem to control any of it.

He brings his hands to his face for comfort and to hide his pain from the world. He closes his eyes that hide behind his hands and starts to breath steadily. A solid attempt to bring the anxiety to a tolerable level. He tries to not let it build up but it takes a few moments until he feels somewhat in control again. He drags his hands down his face, not opening his eyes, and somewhere deep down he doesn't want to return to the world that awaits him.

"What is the point of going on..." Yusuke sighs as the gloomy question hangs heavy in the air.

"Well, I'm not artist myself, but I think this is pretty damn good."

Yusuke's eyes snap open to the unfamiliar voice, now realizing that he is not alone in this empty oasis. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the invading sunlight and bright colors contrasting each other but he finally does. His eyes widen and the wind gets knocked out of him as he gapes at the creature before him. 

_A mermaid?_ _Er...merman?_ He blinks, making sure this isn't an illusion. _Am I really seeing this?_

The artist gulps, taking in the enticing sight before him.

 _ _The creature has a long darkly colored tail with shades of black and grey contrasting each other beautifully. There a streaks of red as well accenting the smaller fins creating a mesmerizing silhouette that reminds him of a Koi fish. Yusuke's eyes trail up to meet porcelain skin that made this creature look incredibly_ fake_. There were spots of scales trailing up his forearms, the dark, red and grey colors still intertwining beautifully. The scales, curving around his hands that were accessorized, with long sharp nails. The creature was holding Yusuke's notepad, flipping through the pages, his tail swishes back and forth in excitement, Yusuke assumes, the behavior reminds him of the cats that roam around his estate. The merman looks like he is enjoying the scribbles in Yusuke's notepad, so the artist doesn't waste any time to examine the creature in more depth. His top half was thin but muscular, Yusuke notices sporadic white lines that he confirms are scars, revealing that this creature has participated in many battles. Whether it was for survival or play, Yusuke isn't sure. His hair was black and very curly, there were flips around his ears and at the nape of his neck. The water made some stick to his flesh while other danced in the wind, drying up. He was so beautiful that Yusuke had the sudden urge to draw. Then there were eyes staring back at him are dark and very mysterious which made Yusuke's stomach do _things_ that he wasn't necessarily prepared for. Although the artist was rather intimidated, he could see that there was a sense of comfort and protection as well. It was very hard to look away, that is until the creature coughed to break Yusuke out of his gaze.

"My, my, humans do like to stare don't they?" The merman's tone was playful, his lips curved into a small smile as he watches the human blush.

Yusuke clears his throat, his mouth suddenly very dry, "Ahem, forgive me, I just...have never seen something so beautiful and I was trying to figure out if you were real or not." Yusuke notices the slight change in the merman's features as he blushes, becoming increasingly embarrassed as Yusuke's words hung in the air. Yusuke didn't think that he said anything out of the ordinary, he was just telling the truth. 

"May I have your name?" The words were out of Yusuke's mouth before he could even think about it and he immediately regrets it because the merman hesitates and the artist senses caution, before he could reply he blurts out, "My name is Yusuke, I'm sorry I am just a little bit starstruck, I should have introduced myself first that was incredibly rude, please forgive me for such indecent behavior, I-"

His babbling is cut off by the merman pressing the notepad to Yusuke's lips, the creature's eyes are soft and the smile is warm, "Ren."

Yusuke blinks and grabs the notepad, lowering it into his lap. Ren retreats his hands to prop himself up on the sand, his tail swishing in the water that comes up from the waves, "did you draw everything in that notebook, Yusuke?"

Yusuke blushes at his name being said, Ren's voice was....sultry and smooth, those were the only words that come to his fuzzy mind. He clears his throat, "ah, yes. Forgive me these aren't my best pieces. You see...I am suffering from artists' block at the moment and what you have seen is this notebook are my pathetic attempts to get out of it", Yusukes eyes lower as he remembers the stress he is under, "I cannot create anything that would be worthy of my Teacher..." His world starts to whirl again and he remembers why he is at this secluded beach, but everything stops as a cold, wet, and kinda slimy hand rests underneath his chin, forcing him to make eye contact with the beautiful creature that is called, Ren.

"Why not try drawing for your own sake?" The merman smiles as this thumb caresses Yusuke's chin for comfort. Yusuke slightly tenses up at how close Ren is, he is practically in Yusuke's lap, but he doesn't oppose to the new position they are in. "Do you draw only for your Teacher, Yusuke?" Ren purrs.

Yusuke takes a shuddering breath as the questions that are being asked are rather important ones for him to answer and to not just stare at the merman before him, but Ren is just _so fucking beautiful_ , it's hard to focus on anything. 

"Well...I..." Yusuke trails off as he realizes that he hasn't drawn anything out of his own desire for quite a long time. That most of his pieces are for his Teacher, Madarame who was going through quite the artists' block himself. But was he? Yusuke had been creating pieces for him for what seems like his entire life. Yusuke's eyes shift back and forth as he tries to solve this equation but is broken out of it as a sharp nail glides along his jawline.

He looks up at Ren and sees genuine _concern_. Yusuke realizes that he didn't answer Ren, but he didn't have an answer right now. All he knew was he was definitely feeling inspired to create something right now. 

"Ren...may I ask you for a favor?" 

Ren tilts his head, his hand still cupping Yusuke's jaw, "what is it?"

For a moment, Yusuke hesitates because the way Ren tilts his head is so deliciously _adorable_ that Yusuke can't help but stare. Drinking in the sight before him, as if he was afraid that it would would be the last time. Ren blinks at the silence, drawing Yusuke back to his initial intention.

"May I draw you?" Yusuke blurts, his cheeks redden at his boldness but he manages to keep it together. 

There's a playful flick of the tail and smile that Yusuke can't seem to read. His hand leaves Yusuke's chin, propping himself on the sand once again, "hmm, well, how would you like me, Yusuke?"

He gulps at how inviting the question is and lets his naive self take over, "I presume that is a yes then?" The blush on his cheeks gives away that he is incredibly inexperienced at being playful or flirty, whatever you want to call it. 

A small laugh passes through the merman's lips and Yusuke really needs to stop staring, "I will be your inspiration for the day, yes. You may draw me."

"I feel, that you will be my muse for much longer than one day." Yusuke curses the fact that he feels oh-so comfortable to say this shit. Yusuke has always had an understanding that he does not communicate like everybody else. He is very blunt and has a hard time filtering almost anything that comes out of his mouth. Which leads to very embarrassing encounters much like this one, but usually he is mocked or ignored, but instead he is met with playful dark eyes and a long tail flicking back and forth.

"Forgive me that was rather forward, I just..." Yusuke pauses, his brows furrowing together to gather all the words coherently as this beautiful creature watches his every move, "I have not had the urge to draw anything for quite some time and I have tried absolutely everything I could to get inspired", he trails off trying to not let the tears well up, "I should thank you first for bringing that feeling of wanting to create something back to me. I have truly missed it and I feel whole again knowing hat there is something, someone, out there who is able to do that for me." Yusuke laughs, "I realize I am incredibly selfish and I apologize for that but if I didn't jump at this opportunity to draw something so beautiful that brings me such warmth and desire, I would pronounce myself dead to the art world!" Yusuke continues to softly laugh at himself, wavering between looking at the sunset and the merman before him. 

Yusuke just now realizes that Ren is very observant and quiet. This allows Yusuke to feel even more comfortable babbling about the things that are bothering him. He feels almost as if it is magic or some sort of trick, but the glimmer in Ren's eyes say otherwise. This is no trick, this is genuine care for another being, whether they are human or not. Yusuke admires Ren for this.

"Well, I won't allow that, as your muse I will do my best to help you!" Ren exclaims, something so simple with very few words leaves Yusuke a little breathless, "Now, before the lighting is gone, you should really start telling me what to do." A smirk tugs at Ren's lips and for a moment Yusuke is nervous, but Ren is right, the sun is going to set in the next 45 minutes. 

Yusuke wastes no time in listening to Ren and spends what little time he has positioning the merman and drawing as fast as he possibly can. It's not hard for him in this moment since he is so entranced and inspired from the sight before him. He wants to create what Ren makes him feel, how to sunlight feels and how the ocean smells in this very moment. Yusuke hopes he can capture the beautiful sight before him, but something small inside him feels the need to let him know that he cannot replicate these feelings...can he? He is doubtful but he continues to sketch with fervent passion. For a moment everything is still besides Ren and him on this beach. The waves aren't even moving anymore and the sun has stilled in the sky just above the horizon of the sea. He knows time is passing but this image is imprinted in his head. It's so magnificently beautiful that he refuses to let himself forget it. 

After an hour the sky is colored with dark blues, purples and subtle pinks as the sun starts to sink into the horizon. Yusuke lets out a large huff and collapses back onto the soft sand. 

"Have you finished?" Ren asks, still in the position Yusuke put him in an hour ago. Yusuke is impressed that he hasn't moved or complained about staying in this position for so long. 

Without sitting up, Yusuke replies, "Ah yes, you may relax now."

He hears small splashes in the water, Yusuke notes in his head that he should have been more considerate of the possibility of Ren drying out. He feels selfish but also confident that the merman would vocalize his needs if necessary. Ren uses his muscular arms to crawl his way up to the artist, "may I see...?" Ren sounds hesitant, but also curious. 

Yusuke sits up, grabbing the notepad that he flung over his head earlier when he collapsed from exhaustion. He doesn't show Ren at first but instead clutches it to his chest. He lets out a heavy sigh as his eyes meet Ren's, "I know I can't capture everything beautiful about you, I feel as no one could, not even Da Vinci himself, but I hope I have captured how it has felt being here with you. Ren..." Yusuke shifts his weight, criss-crossing his legs, still clutching the notepad, "thank you, for giving me this evening. I feel...that I am truly lucky to have come to this beach in the heat of my despair. I don't know how to thank you and I hope that you like what I have created, even though it is not near finished..." With hesitant hands, Yusuke reveals his piece to the eager merman. 

Silence, absolute silence. 

Yusuke hesitates before looking at Ren, but when he does he is rather shocked. Ren's mouth is slightly agape, his eyes are wide with excitement, and his fingers graze over the painting, not taking the notebook away from Yusuke, Yusuke's heart flips at the sight because Ren looks so... _happy_. He also doesn't ignore the change of color on the merman's cheeks. His desire to paint again grows in his belly and his chest but he ignores it as he awaits any comments Ren is willing to give.

"Yusuke..." Ren whispers, causing the hairs on Yusuke's arm to stand at attention, Ren's eyes meet his, "Yusuke...this is how you see me?"

Yusuke is confused at the question at first, his eyes shift the ground then back to Ren's lively eyes, "well...yes..."

Before Yusuke could get embarrassed, a pair of lips meets his cheek and he freezes. Ren stays there for a moment, allowing Yusuke to adjust to the tingling sensation on his cheek where Ren's soft lips once were, "this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." Ren whispers, his warm breath grazing Yusukes flesh, he pulls back so Yusuke and him are face to face, their noses graze each others, "I didn't think it was possible to be looked at like this...it feels, erotic but sensual."

Yusuke blushes at the word erotic and for a moment he thinks back at his other pieces of work. Had he ever painted something that was erotic? He didn't think so. Most of his paintings weren't entirely his style since he did most of his work for Madarame. He seriously reconsiders the situation he's in with his Teacher but decides to put it in the back of his mind as Ren speaks. 

"Do you have a bath tub?"

"Eh?" Yusuke blinks.

Ren blinks back.

"A bathtub?" 

Ren smiles, "as your muse, I will not allow your art to die! I want to be around to keep you inspired...wouldn't you agree?"

Yusuke blinks again as a blush spreads across his face. 

"Take me home with you, Yusuke." Ren purrs, his gaze keeping eye contact with Yusuke's. 

Yusuke swears he is in some sort of trance with how enticing Ren looks right now, even though everything inside him is screaming _no you can't take him back with you, your bathtub is not THAT big, plus what will Madarame say? Oh yes, Teacher, don't mind me and my new pet fish that isn't entirely a fish, he's just a mythical creature that just so happens to be the core of my art, yeah no big deal_.

The rebellion against his Teacher boils in his stomach and his chest. Yusuke suddenly doesn't care what he has to face in the future if Madarame finds out. He isn't even sure that he wants to reside in his Teachers house anymore. The only thing that attracts him to staying is the fact that Yusuke's bedroom has an attached bathroom that does, indeed, have a bathtub. It's definitely not big enough for Ren and he wonders how this will end up, but he found his muse, it would be criminal to let that go. Right?

Yusuke inhales deeply, his eyes remain connected with the beauty in front of him, "it is not very large but I can promise you lavender scented bubble baths and all the pampering you could ask for."

Ren's smile broadens and Yusuke's chest grows tight. Everything around them seems to be sparkling somehow, the sense of relief and excitement overwhelms Yusuke's senses but he remains stable in front of the merman. Even though it looks as if Ren is reading straight through him. 

Ren lets out a soft giggle, "so, Master, how does one go about bringing a merman home?"

Yusuke blinks at Ren and begins to laugh hysterically, because he truly doesn't have the faintest idea.

**Author's Note:**

> OTL
> 
> tumblr: http://hisokuhh.tumblr.com/
> 
> IG: @/hismoka


End file.
